Summer In London!

Splash Parks & Paddling pools

Splash Park; Longbridge Road Inside Barking Park IG11 8SS

For a splashtastic day out why not head to Splash Park. Kids are welcomed with different levels of fountain features ready for a fun way to cool your little ones down! If you decide to visit during the summer holidays, then there will be extra activities like walk on water balls and pedal boats (From 11th June). Get your tickets and tokens here; https://splashparkbarking.co.uk/#tickets

Kensington Memorial Park; St Mark’s Rd, London W10 6BZ – Kensington Memorial Park | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (rbkc.gov.uk)

Looking for a fun way to keep the kids cool this summer? Why not head on over to Kensington Memorial Park’s water play area! It’s open in 2-hour intervals throughout the day for you to enjoy! Check out the timeslots below.

The session times will be as follows except Tuesdays when we open later at 12pm:

Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun;                                             Tue;

Session 1 10:30 to 12:30                                                         Session 1 12:00 to 13:30

Session 2 13.00 to 15:00                                                         Session 2 14:00 to 15:30

Session 3 15:30 to 17:30                                                         Session 3 16:00 to 17:30

Elephant Springs; 21 Ash Ave, Elephant Park, London SE17 1FR – Introducing Elephant Springs | Elephant Park

Open daily from 10 am – 6 pm this urban oasis is the perfect place for the adults to relax and the kids to cool off, have fun and have a splash! There’s something here for the whole family from relaxing hammocks for the adults. water features throughout the park for the kids to play in and there’s plenty of shops and restaurants nearby to refuel!

Parliament Hill Playground and Paddling Pool; Nassington Rd, London NW3 2TX – Parliament Hill playground and paddling pool – City of London

Open from 10am-5:30pm Parliament Hill Playground and paddling pool is the perfect way to burn off some energy in the hot summer sun! The playground is perfect for those under 12 with an array of swings, slides roundabout and a sand pit all while the pool itself is catered for those under 10 years and is available from Late May – 1^st week of September.

Priory Park; 112 Middle Ln, London N8 7JP- Priory Park | Haringey Council

Priory Park is the perfect place for a cheap day out! Offering a range of facilities from basketball courts to playgrounds and a pool – it has it all! There’s even a café to refuel at. If the weather permits, then the pool is open every day of the summer holidays (July 26^th – 1^st September).

Ruskin Park; Denmark Hill, London SE24 0AA – Ruskin Park Paddling Pool – Friends of Ruskin Park

After a major refurb, Ruskin Park’s Paddling pool is ready to welcome you all again from Saturday 28^th May – Early September. For a fun day out and a quick dip in the pool to cool off is there any other perfect way to spend a hot summers day?

King George Recreation Ground; King George Ave, Bushey WD23 4JT – King George Recreation Ground – ParksHerts

The tropical Island themed splash park is the perfect place to have fun and keep cool this summer! The splash park is open from the end of May to mid-September between 10am – 5pm daily and is suitable for families, toddlers and preteens!

Stanborough Park Water Sport Centre; Stanborough Rd, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6DF – Facilities at Stanborough Park Water Sports Centre | Welwyn Hatfield | Better

Stanborough Park’s Splash land is open for the season! Head on over for some water fun and once finished maybe take a ride on the rowing boats or pedalos! Open daily from 10am – 5pm/dusk until 25^th September!

Abbey View Golf and Track Park; St Albans AL1 2DL – Splash Park – Abbey View Golf & Track Facility (1life.co.uk)

Spend them hot summer days at Abbey View’s Splash Park! The Splash Park is open all week but you do have to book! Sessions are FREE and are for 1 hour and 45 minutes and comes in a selection of;

10:00 – 11:45   12:00 – 13:45   14:00 – 15:45   16:00 – 16:45

Book your slot here; https://stalbantoddlersplash.pembee.app/

Gadebridge Park; Leighton Buzzard Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1DN – Gadebridge Park attractions (dacorum.gov.uk)

Let the kids cool off this summer at Gadebridge Splash Park! In this park you just turn up no need to book and it’s free! Splash Park is open from 10am – 6pm until early September.

Child Friendly Parks

Clissold Park; Clissold House, Off Church Street/ Green Lanes, London N16 9HJ – Clissold Park and Clissold House | Hackney Council

Clissold Park is the perfect place to take the kids especially if they’re animal lovers! With its own aviary and animal enclosures you’ll expect to find Deer’s, goats and more!

Golders Hill Park; West Heath Ave, London NW11 7QP – Golders Hill Park – City of London

This beautifully landscaped park has something for everyone but it is especially known for it zoo! You’ll also find on the grounds a café, tennis courts, a children’s playground, all weather table tennis and a bandstand!

Holland Park; Ilchester Pl, London W8 6LU – Holland Park | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (rbkc.gov.uk)

Holland Park offers the perfect setting to go on a nice family stroll. There is multiple areas of woodland filled with wildlife for the children to hunt down and maybe even identify! There are also some lovely gardens to walk through and just take in the wonderful plants from across the globe.

Mile End Children’s Park and Pavilion; 106 Locksley St, Limehouse, London – Mile End Park (towerhamlets.gov.uk)

Mile end Children’s Park is a great way to spend the day! Within the Park itself there’s a wide range of exciting resources meaning there’s something to do no matter what the weather! Some of the resources include Stadium, Climbing wall, Children’s Park, Leisure Centre (with soft play) and more!

Richmond Park; Holly Lodge, Richmond TW10 5HS –  Richmond Park – Richmond Park – The Royal Parks

Richmond Park have received some new lodgers – The herd of deer that used to live at Greenwich Park have moved over! Why not head on over and see how they’ve settled into their new home!

Finsbury Park; Endymion Road, London N4 1EE – Finsbury Park | Haringey Council

Finsbury Park is great for all the family on a warm summer’s day! With a designated picnic area, skatepark, zip wire, café, boating lake and a wide variety of places for sporting activities – you won’t be disappointed!

Madchute Park and Farm; Pier Street, Isle Of Dogs, London E14 3HP – London city farm Mudchute Park and Farm

Kitted out with over 100 farm animals you’ll have an old MacDonald of a time! You can also book a farm tour where a member of staff will take you around the farm and explain more about the livestock, landscape and how the farm works!

Battersea Park; Albert Bridge Road, London SW11 4NJ – Battersea Park Children’s Zoo (batterseaparkzoo.co.uk)

Battersea Park is a great place to take the kids! In the park itself it has its own zoo which is great for little ones as it isn’t too big so won’t overwhelm them with all the different animals and it won’t involve a lot of walking! Battersea Park zoo have a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.

Coram’s Fields; 93 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH – Coram’s Fields: Sports (coramsfields.org)

Coram’s Field is the perfect place for sport loving families! The park is fully kitted out with a Long Jump landing pit, table tennis, basketball and netball courts and football pitches that all young people can use for free while visiting the park! The park also offers their own sports programme during both term time and school holidays.

Trent Country Park; Cockfosters Road, Barnet EN4 0PS – Trent Country Park

Trent Country Park is great for families that love woodland and adventuring! What’s great about this park though is that it the Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service operates from within the park and it is dedicated to helping sick and injured animals and birds. (HOME | wras (wras-enfieldwildlife.org.uk))

Playgrounds in London

Clissold Park; Green Lanes, London N16 9HJ – Clissold Park and Clissold House | Hackney Council

With a wide range of amenities, Visiting Clissold Park is the perfect way to spend a hot summers day! With tennis courts, table tennis, children’s play area, Clissold House Café, aviary, animal enclosures, toilets and dog free areas there really is something for all to enjoy!

Hyde Park; S Carriage Dr, London W2 2UH- South Carriage Drive Playground – Hyde Park – The Royal Parks

With a recently refurbished exciting and adventurous playground for the kids to explore this is bound to be the best place to let them run wild and burn off that energy! This playground is the perfect park for those up to the age of 12 and there’s a local facilities kiosk too.

St James’s Park; Birdcage Walk, London SW1A 2BJ – St James’s Park – St James’s Park – The Royal Parks

Located a short walk from her majesty’s palace, St James’s Park has a wonderful playground for the kids to run wild and have fun! With a slide, bridges, sand and swings there’s something for all the kids to enjoy. Also, there’s a small kiosk nearby to make sure them little ones keep fed and watered while having a blast!

Holland Park Adventure Playground; 55 Abbotsbury Rd, London W14 8EL- Holland Park Adventure Playground | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (rbkc.gov.uk)

Holland Park Adventure playground is suitable for children aged 5 – 14 years and is open from 7:30am – Dusk. After a refurb in 2019 adding some new features like the zip wire, 10-person see saw and a 10-person dragon swing this is a great way to spend a hot summers day and the kids want to get out of the house!

Diana Memorial Playground; Next to Her Kensington Palace Home, London W2 3XA – Diana Memorial Playground – Kensington Gardens – The Royal Parks

With over 1 million visitors per year, this playground is the perfect place for the kids to run around and have a blast. Inspired by the story of peter pan, this playground was created to allow abled- bodied and less abled bodied children to play together.

Crumbles Castle Adventure Playground; Bingfield St, London N1 0BJ – Crumbles Castle Adventure Playground • Islington Play Association

For an exciting, fun and safe space for the children to jump, climb, run and play head on down to Crumbles Castle! Blow the children’s minds and allow them to explore the grounds of a real castle.

Hanover Gate Playground; Regent’s Park, London NW1 4 – Hanover Gate Playground – The Regent’s Park – The Royal Parks

Located in the west side of Regents Park is the playground which is suitable for children up to the age of 12. With a giant sandpit with a timber treehouse for the older ones and a traditional playground for the younger ones this playground is the perfect place for them to run wild and explore.

Marylebone Green Playground; Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NR– Marylebone Green Playground – The Regent’s Park – The Royal Parks

Marylebone Green playground is found in the southern region of Regents Park and has a fantastic climbing frame for the kids to try out! Here you will also find a willow tunnel, swings, seesaws, slides and much more!

Gloucester Gate Playground; Inner Circle, London NW1 4NR – Gloucester Gate Playground – The Regent’s Park – The Royal Parks

Located alongside the inner circle of Regents Park Gloucester Gate Playground underwent a complete refurb in 2019/2020. Being transformed from a cold metal structured playground to a brand new natural and accessible playground for all to enjoy!

Lumpy Hill Adventure Playground; 15 Market Road, London N7 9PL – Lumpy Hill Adventure Playground • Islington Play Association

Rope swings, Rolling hills, slides and more! What a perfect way to let the kids explore and practice independent and imaginative play. Lumpy Hill Adventure Playground is a warm welcoming space allowing children to run wild and free.

Summer Bucket List for you and the kids- How many can you get through?

• Make a den Grab all the pillows and blankets and transform your living room into the best den ever!

• Paper mâché Get your creative minds tingling and make some paper mâché! All you need is an old newspaper or magazines, a cup of plain flower and a cup of warm water. How to make paper mache (papier-mâché) | BBC Good Food

• Go for a walk Put on your walking shoes choose a random direction and walk that way for as long as you can! Come to a barrier? Choose a different direction and head that way – but try and keep track of where you turn so you can find your way back home!

• Go on a bug hunt Make a checklist of different bugs and head out into the garden or even the park and try tick them all off!

• Go someplace new Decide on how long/far you wish to travel and find somewhere new to go and explore!

• Water fight Grab all water balloons, hose pipes, water guns and buckets and have a good old water fight!

• Gardening Why not start a veggie patch or herb garden? See how much you can grow over the summer! A beginner’s guide to gardening / RHS Gardening

• Scavenger hunt Bingo Make as many bingo cards as you need with different items on them and head out and explore and the first person to fill their card wins!

• Try new food Head to the supermarket and find something you’ve never had before and give it a try (Make sure you’ve paid for it first!) or try a new takeaway for tea 1 night!

• Pick some wild berries/fruit Why not head out to a local orchard or strawberry field and pick some fresh fruit!

• Have a picnic in the park Maybe one evening to mix things up a bit you have a picnic in the park at tea time (weather permitting)

• Feed the ducks Why not go for a walk and feed the ducks? Don’t be grabbing that old load of bread though! Here’s a list of healthy foods for them to eat; rice, sweetcorn, lettuce, grapes and oats.

1. Arts and crafts Grab the glue and the paint and see where your creativity takes you!

• Have a BBQ Dust off that BBQ and get some food on. Nothing beats a BBQ on a sunny day!

• Watch the sunset Stay up late and watch the sun go down- there’s not a more beautiful way to wind down.

• Make cookies Make some cookies and maybe even shape and decorate them in summer themes like watermelon and ice lollies!

• Go bowling Sssttrike! Head on down to your local bowling alley and see how many strikes you can get! Bowling | Queens London

• Watch a movie Cuddle up on the sofa and watch a movie or head out to a cinema or drive in cinema.

• Get an ice cream from an ice cream parlour Head on down to your local ice cream parlour and get an ice cream together! All the different flavours and toppings – what are you going to choose?Udderlicious

• Go camping Dig out that tent and them sleeping bags! Whether it’s just in your back yard or a proper camp site spend a night under the stars.

• Make fresh lemonade; Only needing 3 unwaxed Lemons, 140g of Caster Sugar and 1 litre of cold water. Easy lemonade recipe | BBC Good Food

• Make homemade ice lollies Get a ice lolly mould and some lolly sticks and make ice-lollies using fruit juice, yoghurt, blended veggies or cordial! How to make homemade ice lollies | BBC Good Food

• Make rainbow jelly All you need is the colour jelly packets that you want, condensed milk, unflavoured gelatine and warm water. Layered Rainbow Jelly – Simple Living. Creative Learning (simplelivingcreativelearning.com)

• Do some cool science experiments Put some mento’s in a bottle of coke and see the result (make sure to stand back!) or put skittle sweets around on the edge of a plate, pour water on the plate and watch the magic! Click here for more fun experiments to try; 60 Easy Science Experiments Using Materials You Already Have On Hand (weareteachers.com)

• Make slime make homemade slime using ½ cup of glue, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ cup of water and the food colouring/glitter/confetti of your choice. 20 Easy Ways to Make Slime (teachingmama.org)

• Go on a Bike Ride Grab your helmet and shin pads! It’s time for a family bike ride.

• Go to the beach Grab your sun hat and sun cream. Todays a day spent at the beach!

• Make a sandcastle Grab your bucket and spade – whether it’s on the beach, your local park sandpit or a sandbox in your backyard it’s time to build the best sandcastle ever!

• Write your name in the sand Use your finger or a stick and practice writing your name and other words you may know!

• Play mini golf Head on down to your local mini golf course! I wonder who will win and who’ll be left with all the bogeys! Jungle Falls Adventure Golf – Mini Golf in Oakwood, London

• Go to the park Head on down to the park for an hour or 2 just to get you out of the house! Why not see how many dogs you can see when you’re there?

• Make playdough Make your own playdough with these simple ingredients; 2 cups of Flour, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 cup of salt, 2 cups of warm water and food colouring.  Best no-cook playdough recipe – How to make playdough (prima.co.uk)

• Draw chalk pictures on the path Get creative and leave your neighbours some lovely pictures to see as they walk past! Don’t worry about it causing damage, it’ll wash away with the rain!

• Make milkshakes Make some yummy milkshakes! Find a bunch of different recipes here; Milkshake recipes | BBC Good Food

• Make a birdfeeder Make a birdfeeder using a plastic bottle! Watch a tutorial here; How to make a Bird Feeder from a Plastic Bottle – YouTube

• Make a scrapbook Grab a notebook and the glue and make a scrapbook of some of your favourite memories.

• Play hide and seek Challenge friends and family to a good Ol’ game of hide and seek! Who can find the best hiding place?

• Have a sleepover This can be family sleeping in the same room or inviting friends’ round to play!

• Go to a sleepover Go stay at a friend’s house or sleep in a different room than you usually do!

• Tie-dye a piece of clothing Make some cool tie dye clothing! Follow these 12 easy steps; How to tie-dye your clothes – 12 easy steps (cosmopolitan.com)

• Eat doughnuts Nothing beats freshly made sugar doughnuts!

• Roast marshmallows Grab a skewer and dangle them marshmallows over an open flame, blow it to cool It down and then enjoy the gooey mess!

• Go to a Car boot sale You can find so many amazing things at a car boot sale! Go and see what the coolest thing you can find is!

• Go for a drive Just jump in the car and head in whatever direction you desire! Make sure you take the satnav though to find your way back!

• Go to the pool Grab your costume and swim shorts and head to the pool for some water fun!

• Visit the amusements Grab all your loose change, your 1p’s, 2p’s and 5p’s and head to your local amusements! (Don’t spend what you can’t afford)

• Go to the zoo Go visit your local zoo! How many animals can you name? ZSL London Zoo – Zoo in London – Zoological Society of London (ZSL)

• Go to the skatepark Grab your bikes, scooters and skateboards and head on down to your local skatepark!

• Make mud pies Get your hands dirty and make a garden classic mud pie.

• Visit a theme park Fancy a thrill? Why not take the family for a day out to your local theme park! Chessington World of Adventures Resort: UK Theme Park & Zoo

Best Things to do and Days out in London

• The Sea Life Centre Visit Aquarium In London | SEA LIFE London (visitsealife.com) Get down with the fishes at London’s Sea Life Centre! A Great way to spend the day together and it’s suitable for all ages!
• The Postal Museum Home – The Postal Museum Why not have a day of education and take a ride on the mail rail!
• Legoland LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort: UK’s Favourite Kids Theme Park With over 55 rides and attractions there’s something for everyone at Legoland Windsor!
• Electric Gamebox Electric Gamebox | Play Immersive Team Adventures Love gaming? Then the Electric Gamebox is perfect! In the worlds smartest room, Electric Gamebox makes screen time a social activity again.
• Shrek’s Adventures A Unique Shrek Experience | Shrek’s Adventure! London (shreksadventure.com) From live shows, to rides and meeting Shrek in person – this is any Shrek lover’s dream!
• KidZania KidZania London – Where kids dream BIG! Let the kids make the rules for the day and take them on an adventure to KidZania!
• Science Museum Home | Science Museum Want something fun to do that wont cost an arm and a leg? Head on down to the Science Museum! Don’t forget to prebook your free admission tickets!
• Castle Climbing Centre Home Page | The Castle Climbing Centre (castle-climbing.co.uk) Instead of climbing the walls at home, why not get out and visit Castle Climbing Centre!
• Madame Tussauds Top London Attraction | Madame Tussauds London Go and visit all your favourite famous people all on the same place at the same time! (No one said anything about them being real though!)
• Hans & Gretel Home | Hans & Gretel (hansandgretel.co.uk) Why not head out for a sweet treat at Hans & Gretel’s Delicious dessert heaven!
• Go Ape Go Ape | Outdoor Activities Near Me | Zip Lining Get your adventure on with Go Ape – This is perfect for those who love adventuring outdoors!